Adjustable support bar

ABSTRACT

A VERTICAL SUPPORT ROD INTERCONNECTED IN SPACED, PARALLEL RELATION WITH A WALL SURFACE AND CARRYING AN ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT BAR PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THERETO FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE. THE MEANS FOR INTERCONNECTING THE SUPPORT ROD AND THE ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT BAR INCLUDES A VERTICALLY DISPOSED, CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT CONCENTRICALLY POSITIONED ABOUT THE VERTICAL SUPPORT ROD AND PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF RADICALLY SPACED, PERIPHERAL RECESSES, AS WELL AS A LONGITUDINALLY MOVEABLE ELONGATED ELEMENT SELECTIVELY POSITIONABLE IN CERTAIN OF THESE RECESSES TO MAINTAIN THE ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT BAR IN CERTAIN PRESELECTED POSITIONS. THE MEANS FOR INTERCONNECTING THE VERTICAL SUPPORT ROD WITH THE WALL SURFACE MAY INCLUDE OTHER HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY DISPOSED SUPPORT RODS GRASPABLE BY THE HUMAN HAND.

March 9, 1971 G. DEES v ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT BAR Filed Sept. 11; 1968 INVENTOR.

k: GEOR'GIE mass 6 4 ATTORNEY 4'; FIG. 6 l

United States Patent 3,568,220 ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT BAR Georgie Bees, 30 Gilbert St., Hampton, Va. 23369 Filed Sept. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 758,928 Int. Cl. A47k 3/12 US. Cl. 4-185 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vertical support rod interconnected in spaced, parallel relation with a Wall surface and carrying an adjustable support bar pivotally connected thereto for swinging movement in a horizontal plane. The means for interconnecting the support rod and the adjustable support bar includes a vertically disposed, cylindrical element concentrically positioned about the vertical support rod and provided with a plurality of radially spaced, peripheral recesses, as well as a longitudinally moveable elongated element slectively positionable in certain of these recesses to maintain the adjustable support bar in certain preselected positions. The means for interconnecting the vertical support rod with the wall surface may include other horizontally and vertically disposed support rods graspable by the human hand.

This invention relates generally to an adjustable support bar, and more particularly to an adjustable support bar pivotally connected to a vertically disposed support rod interconnected with a building wall or the like and spaced therefrom; the adjustable support bar being swingable in a horizontal plane and adapted to be secured therein in any one of a plurality of preselected positions.

Elderly and infirm persons are often unable to perform without assistance the bodily maneuvers necessary in making use of conventional bath and toilet facilities, and the like. While certain safety devices have heretofore been proposed for installation adjacent a bathtub, such, for example, as that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,513,619 granted on July 4, 1950, to H. S. Bennett, which could be of some help when such a person is desirous of bathing, he still may require the assistance of another in getting in and out of the tub. Further, there is no known presently available equipment specifically designed for installation adjacent commodes and washbasins for aiding such elderly and infirm persons in using the same independently of others. The present invention stems from a recognition of the shortcomings of the prior art as hereinbefore outlined, and is considered to adequately fill a need not satisfied thereby.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of a support bar positionably adjustable in a horizontal plane for facilitating the use of bath and toilet facilities by elderly and infirm persons.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a rugged and inexpensive support bar pivotally connected to a vertically disposed support rod positionable adjacent a building wall; the support bar being swingable in a horizontal plane and adapted to be secured in any one of a plurality of preselected positions for facilitating the use of bath and toilet facilities by elderly and infirm persons.

According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are obtained by providing at least a vertically disposed support rod interconnected with the surface of a building Wall or the like but spaced therefrom in substantially parallel relation therewith, as well as an adjustable support bar pivotally connected to the vertically disposed support rod for swinging movement in a horizontal plane. The vertically disposed support rod may carry a cylindrical element concentrically positioned therearound provided with a plurality of radially spaced, peripheral recesses, and the adjustable support bar may be provided with an internally disposed element longitudinally moveable with respect thereto engageable with any one of these recesses to maintain the adjustable support bar in any one of a plurality of preselected positions; spring means being utilized to normally maintain the longitudinally moveable element in engagement with one of these recesses. Alternatively, a member peripherally provided with a plurality of radially disposed recesses and rigidly interconnected with the adjustable support bar may be rotatably disposed about the vertically disposed support rod, while a spring loaded, longitudinally moveable, elongated element mounted adjacent the vertically disposed support rod may normally extend into one of these recesses to maintain the adjustable support bar in one of a plurality of preselected positions. The interconnection of the vertically disposed support rod with the building wall may be accomplished through the provision of other support rods rigidly disposed with respect to the wall and especially designed to facilitate the use of certain of the conventional bath and toilet facilities by an elderly or infirm person.

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a framework of support rods rigidly interconnected with a building wall and carrying the adjustable support bar forming a device particularly adapted to facilitate the use of a bathtub by an elderly or infirm person;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another framework of support rods rigidly interconnected with a building wall and carrying the adjustable support bar forming a device particularly adapted to facilitate the use of a commode or a shower stall by an elderly or infirm person;

FIG. 3 isa perspective view of a vertically disposed support rod rigidly interconnected with a building wall and carrying the adjustable support bar forming a device particularly adapted to facilitate the negotiation of changes in floor level by an elderly or infirm person;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the adjustable support bar according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of the interconnection of the adjustable support bar with the vertically disposed support rod carrying the same;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a modification of the lower portion of the housing utilized in interconnecting the adjustable support bar of FIGS. 4 and 5 with the vertically disposed support rod carrying the same;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, partially in section and with parts broken away, of an alternative embodiment of the adjustable support bar according to the present invention utilizable with the framework of support rods shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the alternative embodiment of the adjustable support bar shown in FIG. 7, taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7. 1

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate the same or identical parts throughout the several views, and more specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown a surface 11 of a building wall extending upwardly from a side wall 12 of a conventional bathtub. The Wall surface 11 carries, at a level above the upper edge of bathtub wall 12, a framework of rigid support rods, generally designated by the reference numeral 13, which in turn carries an adjustable support bar, generally designated by the reference numeral 14. Framework 13 includes a pair of preferably metallic vertically disposed support rods 15; each support rod 15 being provided with a pair of end sections 16 disposed perpendicularly to the straight central section thereof and extending parallelly horizontally towards wall surface 11. The free terminus of each end section 16 of a support rod 15 is rigidly connected as by welding or the like to 21 preferably metallic wall mounting plate 17 having a fiat surface contacting wall surface 11; each mounting plate 17 being provided with at least one bore extending therethrough. Conventional headed fasteners are passed through each. of the bores formed through mounting plates 1'7 to rigidly connect the mounting plates 17 to wall surface 11.

Framework 13 further includes a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally disposed, preferably metallic support rods 18 connected as by welding or the like to and extending between the straight, vertically disposed, central sections of the support rods 15. An auxiliary, vertically disposed, preferably metallic support rod 19 extends between and is connected as by welding or the like to a pair of the horizontally disposed support rods 18 near but spaced from one of the vertically disposed support rods 15. The auxiliary support rod 19 carries an element 21, as shown in FIGS. 4 and of the drawing but which is hidden in FIG. 1 thereof by a preferably metallic housing generally designated by the reference numeral 33, utilized in the interconnection of the adjustable support bar 14 therewith. The element 21 is preferably metallic and is cylindrical in form, having a vertically disposed axis of symmetry, and an axial bore is formed therethrough corresponding in diameter to the outside diameter of the auxiliary support rod 19. The element 21 is mounted on the auxiliary support rod 19 at a predetermined level with the auxiliary support rod 19 extending through the bore formed therethrough; the element 21 being connected to the auxiliary support rod 19 as by welding or the like. The element 21 further is provided with a plurality of radially spaced, peripherally disposed slots or recesses 22 formed in the peripheral or cylindrical surface thereof and extending vertically between the upper and lower ends thereof. The details of the interconnection of the adjustable support bar 14 with the vertically disposed support rod carrying the element 21 will more fully be set forth hereinafter. It is to be noted that the length of adjustable support bar 14 is such that it may be parallelly disposed between the horizontally disposed support rods 18 carrying the auxiliary support rod 19 without contacting the vertically disposed support rod situated most remotely from the auxiliary support rod 19.

Turning now to FIG. 2 of the drawing, another framework of rigid support rods, generally designated by the reference numeral 23, is shown rigidly interconnected with the surface 24 of a wall, which may be a bathroom wall adjacent a commode or which may be the wall of a shower stall; this framework 23 of support rods and the adjustable support bar 14 carried thereby being especially adapted to facilitate the use of such facilities by elderly and infirm persons. More particularly, framework 23 includes a single vertically disposed, preferably metallic support rod 25 provided with a pair of end sections 26 corresponding to the end sections 16 of a vertically disposed support rod 15; the end sections 26 of support rod 25 being disposed perpendicularly to the straight central section thereof and extending parallelly horizontally towards wall surface 24. The free terminus of each end section .26 of a vertically disposed support rod 25 is also rigidly connected as by welding or the like to a wall mounting plate 17 utilized in rigidly interconnecting support rod 25 with wall surface 24 similarly to the .interconnection of the support rods 15 with wall surface 11. Framework 23 further includes preferably metallic, horizontally disposed support rods 27 collinearly extending in opposite directions from a point on the length of the central section of the vertically disposed support rod 25 at about two-thirds of the height thereof; the end of each support rod 27 being connected thereto as by welding or the like. Each support rod 27 also includes an end section 225 remote from support rod 25 and disposed perpendicularly to the main section of the support rod 27; the end sections 28 of support rods 27 extending parallelly horizontally towards the wall surface 24. The free terminus of each end section 28 of the support rods 27 is rigidly connected to a wall mounting plate 17 utilized in rigidly interconnecting a support rod 27 with wall surface 24 similarly to the interconnection of the vertically disposed support rod 25 therewith. The vertically disposed support rod 25, at a point above the connection of the horizontally disposed support rods 27 thereto, further carries an element 21, also hidden in FIG. 2 by the housing 33, similarly to the auxiliary vertically disposed support rod 19 of framework 13 and utilized in interconnecting the adjustable support bar 14 with the framework 23, as more completely set forth hereinafter.

In FIG. 3 of the drawing there is shown a vertically disposed, preferably metallic, rigid support rod 29 likewise carrying an adjustable support bar 14 and provided with a pair of end sections 31 disposed perpendicularly to the straight central section thereof and extending parallelly horizontally towards wall surface 32. The free terminus of each end section 31 of vertically disposed support rod 29 is rigidly connected to a wall mounting plate 17 utilized in rigidly interconnecting support rod 29 with wall surface 32 similarly to the interconnection of the support rods 15 with wall surface 11. The vertically disposed support rod 29, at about the vertical midpoint thereof, also carries an element 21 likewise hidden in FIG. 3 by the housing 33, similarly to the auxiliary vertically disposed support rod 19 of framework 13 and utilized in interconnecting the adjustable support bar 14 with the vertically disposed support rod 29, as more fully set forth hereinafter. The device shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing is considered to be especially beneficial in aiding elderly and infirm persons to negotiate changes in floor level without the assistance of others.

The interconnection of the adjustable support bar 14 with a vertically disposed support rod is particularly shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing. It is to be clearly understood that the auxiliary vertically disposed support rod 19 shown therein could as readily have been the vertically disposed support rod 25 of FIG. 2 of the drawing or the vertically disposed support rod 29 of FIG. 3 of the drawing. More especially, the preferably metallic housing generally'designated by the reference numeral 33 includes a cylindrical side wall 34 only slightly larger in inside diameter than the outside diameter of the element 21, as well as an upper wall 35 centrally provided with a vertical bore formed therethrough only slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the auxiliary vertical support rod 19, or of the vertically disposed support rods 25 and 29. The housing 33 fits snugly over the element 21 with the interior of the side wall 34 thereof substantially in contact with the cylindrical surface of the element 21, and with the lower surface of the upper wall 35 thereof rotatably contacting the upper end of the element 21. It will now be obvious that the gap between the housing 33 and the element 21 has been exaggerated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing solely in the interest of illustrative clarity. It will also be obvious that the element 21 and the housing 33 would be positioned as hereinbefore set forth on a vertically disposed support rod while it is in a substantially straight condition and before the extremities thereof are connected to other elements.

A circular bore is formed through the side wall 34 of housing 33 and an inner extremity of a tubular, cylindrically shaped element 36 forming the body of the adjustable support bar 14 is rigidly connected in position in the bore formed through side wall 34 of housing 33 as by welding or the like. The tubular element 36 noranally extends horizontally outwardly from housing 33, and a transverse plate 37 is suitably secured therein near the free extremity thereof; the plate 37 being provided with a bore formed centrally therethrough. A cylindrical, elongated element 38 extends into the free extremity of tubular element 36, passing freely through the central bore formed through transverse plate 37, and therefrom along the entire length of tubular element 36 until it enters housing 33 a distance sufficient to substantially completely penetrate into any one of the recesses 22 formed in the element 21. The elongated element 38 carries a circular transverse plate 39 rigidly concentrically connected thereto as by welding or the like and disposed adjacent the inner extremity of tubular element 36 therewithin; the elongated element 38 and the transverse plate 39 being longitudinally moveable as a unit within tubular element 36. A partially compressed helical compression spring 41 surrounding elongated element 38 within tubular element 36 extends between the fixed transverse plate 37 and the transverse plate 39 carried by the longitudinally moveable element 38, and sufficient energy is stored therein tonormally maintain the inner extremity of the elongated element 38 within a recess 22 of element 21. A globular pull member 42 is connected to the outer extremity of the elongated element 38 in proximity to the free extremity of tubular element 36. The pull member 42 may be grasped with the fingers and pulled away from the free extremity of tubular element 36, moving the inner extremity of the elongated element 38 out of a recess 22 of element 21 as elongated element 38 and the transverse plate 39 carried thereby move longitudinally within tubular element 36, further compressing the spring 41. The tubular element 36 may then be manually rotatably swung in a horizontal plane, the housing 33 revolving about the element 21, until it reaches a new desired position, when the pull member 42 may be released, allowing the elongated element 38 to move under the urging of spring 41 as the inner extremity thereof penetrates into another of the recesses 22 of element 21,

thereby securing the adjustable support bar 14 against further rotation in the horizontal plane in which it swings.

Inasmuch as the housing 33 may not fit absolutely snugly over the element 21, there may be some undesirable vertical play in the adjustable support bar 14. Such play may be reduced, if present, by modifying the housing 33 by adding an outwardly directed annular flange 43 to the lower edge of the cylindrical side wall 34 thereof, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing, and by placing a circular .plate 44 having a central vertical bore formed therethrough only slightly larger than the outside diameter of the auxiliary vertical support rod 19, or of the vertically disposed support rods 25 and 29, concentrically around the vertical support rod below the element 21 carried thereby, as also shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing. The diameter of the circular plate 44 is equal to the outside diameter of flange 43, and a plurality of aligned bores are formed through flange 43 and circular plate 44, which may be utilized in connecting the flange 43 and the circular plate 44 by means of, for example, the screws 45 and the nuts 46 likewise shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing. With the element 21 thus completely enclosed by the housing 33 and the circular plate 44, a downwardly directed force applied to the adjustable support bar 14 would be resisted by a couple resulting from the bearing of the central bores formed through the upper wall 34 of housing 33 and the circular plate 44 against the vertical support rod, which would effectively increase the vertical stability of adjustable support bar 14.

Under certain circumstances, the structure of the adjustable support bar hereinbefore set forth may be somewhat simplified in the interest of economy and ease of fabrication. Along these lines, an alternative embodiment of the adjustable support bar according to the instant invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawing; this alternative embodiment of the adjustable support bar being utilized with, for example, the device shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing in lieu of the adjustable support bar 14 shown therein. More particularly, a preferably metallic, cylindrical, tubular sleeve element 47 is rotatably positioned around the auxiliary vertically disposed support rod 19 of framework 13 in lieu of an element 21, and a preferably metallic adjustable support bar 48 is rigidly connected to sleeve element 47 at about the vertical midpoint thereof as by welding or the like and projects substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom; the length of adjustable support bar 48 being about equal to the length of the tubular element 36 of adjustable support bar 14. The tubular sleeve element 47 also carries a preferably metallic element 49 vertically situated between the lower end thereof and the adjustable support bar 48; the element 49 being cylindrical in form and having a vertically disposed axis of symmetry. An axial bore corresponding in diameter to the outside diameter of sleeve element 47 is formed through the element 49, and the element 49 is mounted on the sleeve element 47 with the sleeve element 47 extending through the bore formed through the element 49; the sleeve element 47 and the element 49 being rigidly connected together as by welding or the like. The element 49 further is provided with a plurality of radially spaced slots or recesses 51 formed in the cylindrical surface thereof between the upper and lower ends thereof. It will be noted that the periphery of element 49 is disposed closely adjacent the nearest vertically disposed support rod 15 of framework 13.

The upper end of a strip of springy metal 52 is secured as by rivet 53 to the side of this vertically disposed support rod '15 opposed to that side thereof most closely adjacent the element 49; the upper end of metallic strip 52 being situated at about the level of the upper end of sleeve element 47. An outwardly directed force is applied to the lower end of metallic strip 52 to draw the same away from the vertically disposed support rod 15, as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawing, and one extremity of a preferably metallic, cylindrically shaped, elongated element 54 is connected as by welding or the like to the surface of metallic strip 52 closest to the vertically disposed support rod 15 near the lower end of the metallic strip 52. The elongated element 54 extends substantially horizontally from the point of connection thereof with metal lic strip 52 through diametrically opposed and somewhat vertically elongated slots formed through the wall of the vertically disposed support rod 15, which is of tubular construcion, and thence into one of the recesses 51 of the element 49. A finger may be placed between the lower end of metallic strip 52 and the adjacent vertically disposed support rod 15 and pressed against metallic strip 52 to draw the same away from this vertically disposed support rod 15, thereby moving the free extremity of the elongated element 54 out of a recess 51 of element 49 and consequently increasing the spring energy stored within metallic strip 52. The adjustable support bar 48 may then be manually rotatably swung in a horizontal plane, the sleeve element 47 revolving about the auxiliary vertically disposed support rod 19, until it reaches a new desired position, when the lower end of metallic strip 52 may be released, allowing it to move closer to the adjacent vertically disposed support rod 15 under the urging of the spring energy stored therein and longitudinally moving the elongated element 54 through the slots formed through the wall of this vertically disposed support rod 15 until the free extremity of the elongated element 54 penetrates into another of the recesses 51 of element 49, thereby securing the adjustable support bar 48 against further rotation in the horizontal plane in which it swings.

The type of device shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing would in no way interfere with the use of a bathtub by an able bodied person, since the adjustable support bar carried thereby would normally be positioned to extend parallelly to wall surface 11 and would not be an abstacle. An elderly or infirm person, however, could make unassisted use of the same bathtub by standing on the floor therebeside and reaching thereacross to grasp with each hand a vertically disposed support rod 15 or a horizontally disposed support rod 18, and then stepping over the near wall thereof into the bathtub while so supported. Once standing in the bathtub, such a person could swing the adjustable support bar into a position of prependicularity with respect to wall surface 11 and then, facing the adjustable support bar and grasping the same for support, could lower himself into a natural seated position in the bathtub facing one of the ends thereof. When he has finished bathing such a person could then lift himself to his feet and leave the bathtub without assistance by making use of the device shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing as hereinbefore set forth but in reversed order. The lowermost of the horizontally disposed support rods 18 shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing could also be utilized, if desired, in the mounting of a retractable or removable seat element positionable to extend across the bathtub at about the level of the upper edges of the side walls thereof useable by such an elderly or infirm person to obviate the necessity of lowering himself to a seated position completely within the bathtub.

The type of device shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing could be installed in a shower stall and the adjustable support bar would normally be positioned to present no obstacle to the use thereof by an able bodied person. An elderly or infirm person could, however, make use of the vertically disposed support rod 25 and the horizontally disposed support rods 27 as handholds while stepping thereinto, and then position the adjustable support bar 14 to make the maximum effective use thereof as a hand grasped support while showering, particularly while standing on one foot as the other is being scrubbed. This device may also be mounted on a bathroom wall extending parallel to and fairly closely adjacent the side of a conventional commode; the'adjustable support bar 14 when positioned as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing being adapted to extend at about chest level across and in front of a person seated on the commode. An elderly or infirm person confined to a wheelchair or the like could transfer himself without the aid of another from his seat thereon to the commode by making use of the fixed support rods 25 and other horizontally disposed support rod 27 with one hand .and the adjustable support bar 14 as hereinbefore set forth with the other. Such a person could then swing his body over the commode as he swings the adjustable support bar 14- from position to position until it reaches that shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, and then, trans :ferring his grip from the horizontally disposed support :rod 27 to the vertically disposed support rod 25, lower himself to a seated position on the commode. The reverse of this operation could later be performed as such a per- ;son transferred himself from his seat on the commode back to his wheelchair or the like.

The device shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing would be installed on a wall surface 32 in the vicinity of a change in floor level. When an elderly or infirm person desired to negotiate such a change in floor level he would move the adjustable support bar 14 from a normally retracted position adjacent wall surface 32 to that shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, and then move upwardly or downwardly with one hand grasping the adjustable support bar 14 and the other hand grasping the vertically disposed support rod 29. As such a person moves his body upwardly or downwardly, his hand may move up or down on the vertical support rod 29 for maximized support.

The devices shown in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3 of the drawing could also be installed on a wall surface adjacent a washbasin with the adjustable support bar carried by each of these devices being positionable to afford support to an elderly or infirm person using the washbasin.

Obviously, manyv modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the foregoing teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bathroom support appliance for use in conjunction with a bathtub, shower bath, toilet, or wash basin, or the like, comprising:

at least a first operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod operationally positionable adjacent a wall surface in spaced, substantially parallel relation therewith, said support rod having an upper end capable of being interconnected with said wall surface and having a lower end capable of being further interconnected with said wall surface;

an adjustable support bar having an inner extremity and an outer extremity pivotally operationally swingable in a substantially horizontal plane about said support rod at a point adjacent said inner extremity thereof while supporting a substantially downwardly directed load applied thereto at a location adjacent said outer extremity thereof; and

means between said upper and lower ends of said sup port rod pivotally interconnecting said adjustable support bar and said support rod, said means including an element extending at least partially around said support rod having a plurality of radially spaced recesses substantially equidistantly situated from the centerline of said support rod, and at least one moveable element positionable in at least one of said recesses for securing said adjustable support bar in a predetermined position against swinging movement in said substantially horizontal plane.

2. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein said element having said plurality of recesses is cylindrical in form having an axis of symmetry coinciding with the centerline of said support rod and wherein said recesses are operationally vertically disposed slots formed in the cylindrical surface thereof, said cylindrical element having said plurality of recesses being rigidly connected to said support rod, and wherein said adjustable support bar includes a housing rotatably mounted on said support rod having a cylindrical wall snugly rotatably disposed about said cylindrical surface of said element having said plurality of recesses, as well as a tubular element mounted with an inner extremity thereof at a bore formed through said cylindrical wall of said housing and operationally substantially horizontally projecting outwardly therefrom, said moveable element positionable in at least one of said recesses being a spring loaded elongated element longitudinally moveable within said tubular ele ment having an inner extremity extending through said bore in said cylindrical housing wall into said recess and having an outer extremity connected to a pull member situated adjacent the outer extremity of said tubular element moveable away therefrom against said spring action to move said elongated element through said tubular element to withdraw said inner extremity thereof from said recess.

3. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least one operationally substantially horizontally disposed support rod is connected to said operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod, said operationally substantially'horizontally disposed support rod also being capable of attachment to said wall surface in spaced,

a substantially parallel relation therewith.

in form having an axis of symmetry coinciding with the centerline of said operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod and wherein said recesses are operationally vertically disposed slots formed in the cylindrical surface thereof, said cylindrical element having said plurality of recesses being rigidly connected to said operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod, and wherein said adjustable support bar includes a housing rotatably mounted on said operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod having a cylindrical wall snugly rotatably disposed about said cylindrical surface of said element having said plurality of recesses, as well as a tubular element mounted with an inner extremity thereof at a bore formed through said cylindrical wall of said housing and operationally substantially horizontally projecting outwardly therefrom, said moveable element positionable in at least one of said recesses being a spring loaded elongated element longitudinally moveable within said tubular element having an inner extremity extending through said bore in said cylindrical housing wall into said recess and having an outer extremity connected to a pull member situated adjacent the outer extremity of said tubular element moveable away therefrom against the action of said spring to move said elongated element through said tubular element to withdraw said inner extremity thereof from said recess.

5. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least two vertically spaced, operationally substantially horizontally disposed support rods are connected to said first operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod, each end of said first operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod being connected to one of said operationally substantially horizontally disposed support rods, one extremity of each of said operationally substantially horizontally disposed support rods being connected to a second operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod situated parallelly to and somewhat adjacent said first operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod, the other extremity of each of said operationally substantially horizontally disposed support rods being connected to a third operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod, said second and said third operationally substantially vertically disposed support rods also being adapted to be interconnected with said wall surface in spaced, substantially parallel relation.

6. The appliance according to claim 5, wherein a cylindrical sleeve element is snugly rotatably disposed around said first operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod and the inner extremity of said adjustable support bar is rigidly connected to said sleeve element, said adjustable support bar operationally projecting substantially horizontally outwardly from said sleeve element, and wherein said element having said plurality of recesses formed therein is cylindrical in form having an axis of symmetry coinciding with the longitudinal centerline of said sleeve element and said recesses are operationally vertically disposed slots formed in the cylindrical surface thereof, said cylindrical element having said plurality of recesses being rigidly connected to said sleeve element, said moveable element positionable in at least one of said recesses being a spring loaded elongated element interconnected with said second operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod and having a free extremity extending into said recess yet being manually longitudinally moveable to withdraw said free extremity thereof from said recess.

7. The appliance according to claim 5, wherein said element having said plurality of recesses is cylindrical in form having an axis of symmetry coinciding with the centerline of said first operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod and wherein said recesses are operationally vertically disposed slots formed in the cylindrical surface thereof, said cylindrical element having said plurality of recesses being rigidly connected to said first operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod, and wherein said adjustable support bar includes a housing rotatably mounted on said first operationally substantially vertically disposed support rod having a cylindrical wall snugly rotatably disposed about said cylindrical surface of said element having said plurality of recesses, as well as a tubular element mounted with an inner extremity thereof at a bore formed through said cylindrical wall of said housing and operationally substantially horizontally projecting outwardly therefrom,

said moveable element positionable in at least one of said recesses being a spring loaded elongated element longitudinally moveable within said tubular element having an inner extremity extending through said bore in said cylindrical housing wall into said recess and having an outer extremity connected to a pull member situated adjacent the outer extremity of said tubular element moveable away therefrom against the action of said spring to move said elongated element through said tubular element to withdraw said inner extremity thereof from said recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 730,953 6/1903 McCall 4-185 870,086 11/1907 De Camps 4-185 1,405,222 1/1922 Johnson et a1. 4185 2,059,171 10/1936 Harris 4-185 2,242,461 5/1941 Fisher 4-185 2,243,794 5/ 1941 Dunn 4185 2,513,620 7/1950 Bennett 4-185 2,714,728 8/1955 Bloch 4--l85 2,981,959 5/1961 Burnham 4185X LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner 

